Air conditioning system for a textile machine

ABSTRACT

The air conditioning duct is provided with outlet holes in the bottom which are directed towards the floor. The jets of air from the duct break up on striking the floor so that the air flows up about the sides of the duct and into the textile machine. The system is void of any impact walls for directing air.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,816,987 Hofstetter June 18, 1974 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR A 2,431,726 12/1947 Bechtler 57/56 x TEXTILE MACHINE OTHER PUBLICATIONS [75] Inventor: Hermann Hofstetter, Zurich,

Switzerland Textile World; Now-Total Air Cleaning, Septem- [73] Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Ltd., Winterthur, 1963;

Switzerland 2 Filed; Aug 4 7 Prirrzary ExaminerJohn W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-Charles Gorenstem PP 168,948 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 15, 1970 Switzerland 13666/70 [57] ABSTRACT [if] :lSlil 57/34 R, 1556011]; The air conditioning duct is provided with outlet holes d 56 15/301 in the bottom which are directed towards the floor. I 1; 98/33 19/66 The jets of air from the duct break up on striking the floor so that the air flows up about the sides of the duct and into the textile machine. The system is void [56] References Cited of any impact walls for directing air.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,425,578 8/1947 Thoma et al 57/34 R 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJunam 381E987 SHHZI 1 BF 2- v Fig.1

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR A TEXTILE MACHINE This invention relates to an air conditioning system for a textile machine and more particularly to a duct system for directing conditioned airinto the textile machine.

In recent years, textile machine developments have led to further increases in the performance of the. individual machines, e.g., in the case of spinning, twisting-,

spooling-or texturizing-machines. However, because such increases in performance have generated increasing heat loads which have to be conducted away from the machine, considerable difficulties have arisen in introducing the required quantity of air into the individual machines.

Generally, it has been known to provide each textile machine with its own air-supply duct, which runs longitudinally below the machine, and out of which air flows in quite compact air jets directly over the floor while being blown out toward bothsides. In this case, the direct streams of air encounterimpact walls seton the floor to either side, and the previously quite compact air jets rebound from these walls, and ascend into the machine in a quite diffuse manner. However; these arrangements for supplying air entail a certain expense,

chiefly caused by the need for the impact or rebound.

walls.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to the cost of supplying air to a textile machine for conditioning purposes.

It is anotherobject of the invention to obtain a dif fuse distribution of conditioning air in a textile machine.

Briefly, the invention provides an air conditioning system for textile machines which is capable of blowing streams of air up and into the machinesfrom a location below the machine base.

In one embodiment, the conditioning system includes a duct orchannel which runs at a spacing above the floor of the machine hall, and whose underside has an air outlet which extends in the longitudinal direction and is directed towardthe floor. With this arrangement, a sharp jet of air is directed against the floor of the machine hall and becomes broken up in the same way as at the impact wall of the known arrangement; however, the production and installation costs areconsiderably lower with the arrangement of the invention. The resultant broken air streams then flow upwardly along the sides of the duct into the bottom'of the adjacent machine or machines.

In order to regulate the air flow from the duct to a certain extent, the spacing between the floor and the underside of the duct is adjustable. To this end, the duct is mounted in a frame so as to be adjusted vertically with respect to the frame and the floor. Also, the air outlet is made in the form of individual holes in the underside of the duct and distributed in the lengthwise direction. The regulation of .the quantity of air can be carried out by closing a number of the holes. Uniform distribution of the air in the lengthwise direction of the machine can be further improved by slanting the duct relative to the floor so that the spacing at the end of the duct is decreased.

In the case of some textile machines, e.g., crossspooling machines, which are built nonsymmetrically, the duct may advantageously be disposed between two machines.

Additionally, the. duct can be supported in a suspended manner from supports arranged at spacings from one another within the frame so that these supports may at thesame time serve as supports for a walkway.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the. appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view perpendicular of the lengthwise axis of a duct according to the invention;

FIG. 2illustrates a view of asystem accordingto the invention between two textile machines; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a side. view, lookingin the direction of the arrow A of FIG. 2.

Referring. to FIGS. 2 and 3, the air-supply duct or channel 2 runs in the lengthwise direction of a pair of adjacent textile machines 1 and is enclosed on all sides. Each machine 1 has a base 1', as shown, spaced above the floor 5; The duct 2 has apluralityof air outlets in the underside 3 which, for example, are in the form of a series of holes disposed to run in the lengthwise direc tion. As shown, the underside 3 of the duct 2 is located below the plane of the machinebase 1. Alternatively, it is also possible to make the air outlet as a continuous lengthwiseslot which is adjustablein width.

In the event that anadjustment ofthe air distribution in the lengthwise direction of the machines I should be needed, the individual holes ofthe air outlets 4may be closed, e.g., by strips'of adhesive tape. Another means for the same purpose consists of arranging the duct 2 at an angle relative to the floor 5; This can be achieved very simply by varying the spacing between the duct 2 andthe floor 5, for example, by varyingthe height of the supports upon which the duct 2" rests to form a space of decreasing size in a direction away from the continuation 9.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the duct 2 is supported by means offramelike supports 6 which are set at a spacing of about 2 meters in the lengthwise direction of the duct 2 and machine 1. In addition, the duct 2 is suspended in the supports 6 by means of screws 7 so as to be adjusted vertically within the supports 6 relative to the floor 5. The spacing of the underside. of the duct 2 from the floor 5 is sufficient to permit jets of air from the holes 4' to impinge against the floorS and be broken up into laterally directed air streams. In this example, the spacing is 50 millimeters.

At the top, the supports 6 are covered by a walkway 8, which may serve as a servicing walkway, e.g., for work on the textile machines.

As shown by FIGS. 2' and 3, theduct 2 leads via a continuation 9 to a centralsite (not shown) or to a single air-conditioning installation associated therewith and is set between two cross-spooling machines 1. Each machine 1, as shown, has a drive 11, a power transmission 12 to transport cylinders Band 14, a thread guide 15 and a spool 16.

It is of course also possible to associate each textile machine I, or each row of a number of sequent machines set in a row, with a single duct 2,.which can then advantageously be set in the middle below the machine 1.

In use, the air conditioning system directs a flow of conditioned air, that is air which is chiefly humidified,

via the continuation 9 into the duct 2. The air is then blown in individual sharp jets out of the underside 3 of the duct 2 through the holes 4 against the floor 5 of the machine hall. These jets encounter the floor 5 and are broken upon impact. This air then ascends, after flowing around the duct 2, in a uniform diffuse stream into the textile machine 1.

The invention thus provides an air conditioning system which can be constructed in an economical manner and which can be installed in a similar manner. Additionally, the invention provides an air conditioning system which utilizes a minimum of parts.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of at least one textile machine mounted on a floor and an air conditioning system for discharging conditioned air to said machine, said machine having a base spaced above the floor and said system including a duct extending longitudinally of said machine and including an air outlet in an underside thereof directed towards said floor for directing at least one jet stream of air downwardly against said floor, said underside of said duct being located below the plane of said machine base and spaced from said floor to permit the jet stream of air to impinge on the floor and break up and subsequently flow around said duct upwardly into said machine in a uniform diffuse stream.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said duct is slanted relative to said floor to form a decreasing space therebetween toward one end of said duct.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said duct is disposed between a pair of said textile machines, each machine having a base spaced above the floor with said underside of said duct located below the plane of each machine base.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said system includes adjustable means for supporting said duct in spaced relation relative to said floor.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein a walkway is supported on said means on the topside thereof for facilitating access to said machine.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means includes a plurality of supports spaced longitudinally of said duct and suspending said duct therein over said floor.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air outlet is in the form of a series of holes disposed lengthwise along said duct.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air conditioning system includes a continuation connected to said duct for directing a flow of conditioned air into said duct and wherein said duct and said floor are spaced apart to form a space therebetween of decreasing size in a direction away from said continuatlon. 

1. The combination of at least one textile machine mounted on a floor and an air conditioning system for discharging conditioned air to said machine, said machine having a base spaced above the floor and said system including a duct extending longitudinally of said machine and including an air outlet in an underside thereof directed towards said floor for directing at least one jet stream of air downwardly against said floor, said underside of said duct being located below the plane of said machine base and spaced from said floor to permit the jet stream of air to impinge on the floor and break up and subsequently flow around said duct upwardly into said machine in a uniform diffuse stream.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said duct is slanted relative to said floor to form a decreasing space therebetween toward one end of said duct.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said duct is disposed between a pair of said textile machines, each machine having a base spaced above the floor with said underside of said duct located below the plane of each machine base.
 4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said system includes adjustable means for supporting said duct in spaced relation relative to said floor.
 5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein a walkway is supported on said means on the topside thereof for facilitating access to said machine.
 6. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means includes a plurality of supports spaced longitudinally of said duct and suspending said duct therein over said floor.
 7. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air outlet is in the form of a series of holes disposed lengthwise along said duct.
 8. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air conditioning system includes a continuation connected to said duct for directing a flow of conditioned air into said duct and wherein said duct and said floor are spaced apart to form a space therebetween of decreasing size in a direction away from said continuation. 